Shoujuurou

Shoujuurou held a sliver of sun-dried fish perfectly still between two fingers, their confident smile hidden behind dark shades. For three days, this particular Mystic Cat had treated them as just another piece of the amber-leaved landscape. It was a test, of course. Serving the fortune-bringer Maneki-neko was rarely about grand battles. Their Mega Sabre, a weapon of legend, leaned unused against a tree trunk while locals sang about supper nearby. This was the new discipline: earning the trust of the forest's secret architects, one wary creature at a time. Finally, the cat blinked its slow, golden eyes, stepped forward, and delicately took the offering. The faint purr was a victory more profound than any duel.